Cows in ancient Indian
religions
The holy cow orGaumata is venerated as the home of 33 crore gods and goddesses in Hinduism. It
is a well-known fact that Hindus do not approve of cow slaughter or eating
beef. But what about other religions? Do
other religions approve of the same or they too have some reservations when it
comes to cow slaughter or beef?
Hinduism
Many ancient and medieval Hindu texts debate the
rationale for a voluntary stop to cow slaughter and the pursuit of vegetarianism as a part of a
general abstention from violence against others and all killing of animals.
The interdiction of the meat of the bounteous cow as food
was regarded as the first step to total vegetarianism. Dairy cows are
called aghnya "that which may not be slaughtered"
in Rigveda. Yaska, the early commentator of the
Rigveda, gives nine names for cow, the first being "aghnya. The god Krishna and his Yadav kinsmen are associated with cows,
adding to its endearment.
In Puranas, which are part of
the Hindu texts, the earth-goddess Prithvi was in the form of a cow, successively milked of beneficent substances for the benefit of humans, by deities starting with the
first sovereign: Prithu milked the cow to generate crops for humans to end
a famine. Kamadhenu, the miraculous "cow of plenty" and the
"mother of cows" in certain versions of the Hindu mythology, is believed to represent the generic sacred cow,
regarded as the source of all prosperity.
Jainism
In the Jain religious tradition,
neither monks nor laypersons should cause others or allow others to work in
a slaughterhouse. Jains believe that vegetarian sources can provide
adequate nutrition, without creating suffering for animals such as
cattle. According to some Jain scholars, slaughtering cattle increases
ecological burden from human food demands since the production of meat entails
intensified grain demands and reducing cattle slaughter by 50 percent would
free up enough land and ecological resources to solve all malnutrition and
hunger worldwide.
Buddhism
Slaughtering cow has been a taboo,
with some texts suggest taking care of a cow is a means of taking care of
"all living beings”. Not only do some, mainly Mahayana, Buddhist texts
state that killing or eating meat is wrong, it urges Buddhist laypersons to not
operate slaughterhouses, nor trade in meat. Indian Buddhist texts
encourage a plant-based diet. This is an excerpt from Brahmanadhammika Sutta:
Like mother (they
thought), father, brother or any other kind of kin,
cows are our kin most excellent from whom come many remedies.
Givers of good and strength, of good complexion and the happiness of health,
having seen the truth of this cattle they never killed.
Those brahmins then by Dharma did what should be done, not what should not,
and so aware they graceful were, well-built, fair-skinned, of high renown.
While in the world this lore was found these people happily prospered.
— Buddha, Brahmanadhammika
Sutta 13.24, Sutta Nipāta
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